Rodri believes Manchester City should actively pursue signing LaLiga’s top talent, specifically highlighting Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who shone as one of Spain’s standout players at Euro 2024. Williams scored the opening goal in Spain’s 2-1 victory over England in the final, drawing significant attention from clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Barcelona.
Despite the interest, Williams chose to stay in Bilbao for another season. During a video link at the AS awards ceremony in Madrid, Rodri expressed his desire to bring Williams to City, saying, “Yes, yes. Right now if I was taking him I would also be taking him to teach him a little bit about the cold in England, although it’s similar to Bilbao. But yes, I would take him with me without a doubt.”
Williams has a relatively low release clause of £48 million (€58m/$61m) in his contract, but his salary of €200,000-a-week (£166,000) was reportedly a significant factor in his decision to remain at Bilbao. If Rodri gets his wish, Williams could be part of City’s plans for the 2025/26 season, especially as Pep Guardiola’s side struggles in the Premier League title race, having gone seven games without a win across all competitions.
Reflecting on the interest from major clubs, Williams stated in September, “It’s always flattering to know that big teams have you on their agenda. But I’ve always been clear that I wanted to be here. Athletic is a different feeling that you don’t get at other clubs. I’m looking forward to doing things well at this club.”
Last season, Williams scored eight goals and provided an impressive 19 assists in 37 appearances. However, his current campaign has been more challenging, with only two goals and five assists in 18 games, as Bilbao sits fourth in La Liga, nine points behind leaders Barcelona.
In other Manchester City news, the club is reportedly monitoring Tottenham defender Cristian Romero, who may consider Champions League qualification when deciding on his contract renewal or potential move. Additionally, City is willing to offload James McAtee in the January window, with Leeds United among several clubs interested in the £20 million-rated playmaker.